


Prosecutions and Pardons

by blueeyedcherry



Category: Twilight (Movies), Twilight Series - All Media Types, Twilight Series - Stephenie Meyer
Genre: Drama, F/M, Romance
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2014-11-26
Updated: 2014-11-26
Packaged: 2018-02-27 01:56:30
Rating: Mature
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 8
Words: 10,399
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/2674580
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/blueeyedcherry/pseuds/blueeyedcherry
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Rosalie Hale is the best prosecuting attorney in Seattle's history. Emmett McCarty is an innocent man caught in her crossfire. What happens when her most recent conviction calls on her from prison looking for help getting exonerated? My FAGE 6 entry.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> I was uber excited to see that Rebadams7 was open to a piece about any canon Twilight pair. I haven't really had the opportunity to jump outside the B/E box, so I jumped into it with this piece.
> 
> Thanks to beegurl13 for the stunning banner. Thank you to Tiffany aka Vampmamma for for organizing this event. Your hard work is much appreciated by all. :)
> 
> I'm doing this a bit different than last year. There's eight chapters total and I'll post one each hour until the story is complete. I liked the idea of a mini-fic instead of a straight one shot piece.
> 
> \- N.
> 
> Characters belong to SM and any recognizable faces or places belong to their owners. The rest belongs to me.

**Banner by[beegurl13](http://www.fanfiction.net/~beegurl13)**

 

"Ladies and gentlemen of the jury, have you reached a verdict?"

"Yes, Your Honour."

"Please hand the verdict form to the court deputy." The deputy crossed the room and took the papers from a juror, then returned to the front of the courtroom and handed them to the judge. He looked them over briefly before proceeding.

"Mr. McCarty, will you and your counsel please rise and face the jury." Once the young man and his attorney were standing, the judge handed the verdict papers to the court clerk. "The clerk will now deliver the verdict."

"District Court of the State of Washington, County of King, in the matter of the people of the State of Washington versus Emmett James McCarty, case number C71038573. Count one - the jury finds the defendant guilty of first-degree assault with a deadly weapon. Count two – the jury finds the defendant guilty of possession of more than 20 kilograms of marijuana with intent to distribute."

Emmett expected to hear a gavel come down and see people start to cry or cheer, but instead the room remained silent. As it turned out, court trials were not nearly as entertaining as Hollywood made them out to be. He hung his head and kept his eyes on the floor as the clerk asked each juror to affirm that these were in fact the verdicts he or she had reached. When all was said and done, the judge stood.

"The next stage of this trial will take place Monday at eleven am. The defendant will continue to be held at the Seattle Jail until a sentence is determined. Please remain standing while the jury exits."

"This isn't over yet," his lawyer, Royce King, whispered. "We can appeal this after your sentencing."

Emmett shrugged. "Aro knew what he was doing. I'm fucked."

"You're not fucked. You were framed. You know it, I know it, and we'll do whatever it takes to make sure those on the outside know it too."

Once the jury and courtroom audience were gone, the judge took a seat and glanced at the sheriff standing in the corner. "He's all yours, Sheriff. Counselors, please approach the bench."

"Remember, don't talk to anyone," Royce hissed. "I'll call Carlisle as soon as I get out of here." The sheriff cuffed Emmett and led him out of the courtroom.

"The media is everywhere outside," the sheriff commented. "Do you want to answer one or two questions?"

Emmett shook his head. "I don't talk without my lawyer present."

"Very good." The sheriff eased the courthouse doors open and the two men stepped outside. Reporters and photographers lined the stairs, converging on the two men instantly.

"How do you feel about the verdict?"

"Why did you attack Senator Volturi's son?"

"When is your sentencing hearing?" Emmett wanted to answer every one of their questions. He wanted to scream at them until they understood it wasn't him who attacked Demetri Volturi. But he knew better than that. Royce had spent weeks schooling him on the importance of avoiding questions without his legal representation present. So, he turned his eyes to the ground and gave the one answer he knew was okay.

"I have no comment."

The questions continued to come, even after the sheriff had placed him in the back of the squad car. Emmett kept his eyes focused on his lap and tried to ignore the embarrassment that the situation brought with it.

He would do the right thing and serve whatever amount of time the judge gave him, even if it was time that belonged to another truly guilty individual.

Karma was a concept he had always believed in.

And karma would take care of the rest in the end.

**{-} P &P {-}**

The socialization room was full as always, but Emmett managed to find an open chair in the back. He'd learned on his first night in jail not to try and change the channel once someone had selected it, especially if that someone was bigger than him. So, as much as he despised news broadcasts, it looked like that's what he would have to watch.

"In local news, the McCarty trial came to a close today when the defendant, Emmett James McCarty, was found guilty on both charges brought against him. McCarty was arrested in August after following Demetri Volturi home from a downtown Seattle bar and beating him with a lug wrench. Police also found a large quantity of marijuana in McCarty's apartment. KING5 news was on the scene at the Seattle Courthouse, where the city's prosecuting attorney answered questions."

Emmett's blood boiled when Rosalie Hale's face appeared on the screen. She was egotistical, ruthless, and stunningly beautiful, and he hated that he was still falling for her even after she had helped falsely convict him.

One of the reporters that had hounded him on his way out of the courthouse stepped forward and held a microphone out to Rosalie. "Congratulations, prosecutor! How does it feel to have won yet another case?"

"They've all started to blur together, but it does feel nice to know that we've taken another criminal off the streets."

The next reporter stepped forward. "Do you have any idea what McCarty is looking at in terms of a sentence?"

Rosalie shook her head. "I only help convict criminals. Sentencing is up to the judge."

Another microphone was thrust in her face. "What's next on your court schedule, prosecutor?"

"I can't share that information, unfortunately." The attorney looked down at her watch and smiled. "Now, if you'll excuse me, it's after four o'clock on a Friday, which means my weekend has officially begun." The camera stayed on her as she descended the stairs and got into the back of a waiting car.

"Man, someone needs to teach that bitch a lesson," the inmate sitting next to Emmett sneered. A few of the other inmates muttered in agreement.

As the broadcast moved on to the next item of news, Emmett couldn't get Rosalie's face out of his mind. Royce had said something about appealing his conviction, and even though he wanted to have faith in the process, Emmett had a feeling the prosecutor would find some way to have her hands involved in everything that went on. Rosalie didn't seem to believe he was innocent, and until she did, he doubted any judge would either.

Perhaps he needed to furnish proof to someone other than the judge.

Perhaps he needed to convince the prosecutor that he was worthy of being exonerated.


	2. Chapter 2

**Emmett McCarty sentenced to ten years in prison  
** By Mike Newton **–** Monday, November 19, 2012

A Seattle judge sentenced Emmett James McCarty to ten years in prison yesterday morning. This sentence followed the young man's conviction of first-degree assault and possession of Marijuana with the intent to distribute.

McCarty had an altercation with Demetri Volturi, son of Senator Aro Volturi, at Eclipse bar on August 18. According to court documents, he followed Volturi home from the bar and beat him with a lug wrench. Police obtained a search warrant for McCarty's apartment following his arrest, and found over fifty pounds of marijuana.

McCarty's criminal record is sparse, and includes a stint in juvenile detention for stealing a car and robbing a convenience store at the age of fifteen. This is the 28-year-old's first adult conviction, and first time in a state correctional facility.

King County Prosecuting Attorney Rosalie Hale prosecuted the case. Although this is the defendant's first criminal charge, Hale feels confident Judge Molina made the right sentencing decision:

"Members of the justice system are responsible for seeing that criminals not only serve adequate sentences for the crimes they've committed, but that they also have rehabilitation opportunities available to help prevent further offenses. Judge Molina has handed down a sentence that will hopefully teach Mr. McCarty a valuable lesson, and start him moving forward in the right direction.

…

Rosalie sipped her latte and smiled as she skimmed over the article. The trial had dragged on much longer than necessary, but she emerged victorious in the end. Emmett McCarty was on his way to the Monroe Correctional Complex and she was busy preparing for her next case.

"What's that smile for?" Alice Brandon took a seat next to her friend and roommate and glanced at what she was reading.

"I love seeing success stories in the local news."

Alice rolled her eyes and pulled back the foil lid on her yogurt. "Only you would see that as a success story."

"He's guilty and he's in prison now. How is that not a success?"

"C'mon, Rosie. You may be ruthless, but you're not stupid. You can't possibly think that man did what he was charged with."

"His fingerprints were all over the lug wrench, Alice. Witnesses saw him leaving Demetri's home in the middle of the night. Oh, and don't forget the bricks of marijuana that were stacked in his bedroom closet, or the file of contacts to sell to on his laptop."

Alice loved playing devil's advocate with her friend – especially on cases that she didn't think Rosalie should have won in the first place. "He had no connection to the Volturi family whatsoever. Why would he decide to seek out their son at random?"

"I'm sure there are dozens of people in Seattle who don't have open connections to the Volturi family. They're the Gottis of the West Coast, Ali."

"All I'm saying is I think that there's more to the story than anyone in your department knows."

"That, my friend, is why I practice law and you design houses." Rosalie closed the newspaper and stood up. "Now, if you'll excuse me I have an appointment with my trainer before work."

"Working on another case already?"

Rosalie nodded. "The teenage mother from Kirkland who killed her infant."

"Oh yes, I heard that trial starts this week." Alice polished off her yogurt and tossed the empty carton into the trash. "Are we still on for Saturday?"

"I wouldn't miss girl's night for the world."

"Good to know." Alice stood and stretched her arms over her head. "Good luck with the trainer!"

"Thanks! I'll need it," Rosalie laughed.

Law was an area she had mastered.

Hard core cardio workouts, on the other hand, were one she hadn't.

**{-} P &P {-}**

_Two weeks later…_

"Ms. Hale?"

The paralegal's voice startled Rosalie. "Yes?"

"You have a telephone call on line two."

"Thank you." She put her highlighter down and picked up the phone. "Rosalie Hale."

"This call will be monitored," a mechanical voice said. "I have a collect call from an inmate at the Monroe Correctional Complex. To accept charges press one. To refuse charges press two. To prevent calls from this facility press four."

"What the hell," Rosalie muttered. Her immediate reaction was to press two and hang up. The only people she knew in any correctional facility were the ones she'd had a hand in placing there, and she had no desire to speak to any of them. Her curiosity got the best of her, however, and as the recording starting playing again, she punched number one.

"Hello?" a man's voice greeted her.

"Yes, hello? Can I help you?"

"Is this Rosalie Hale?"

"It is. Whom am I speaking to?"

"Emmett McCarty."

Rosalie sucked in a deep breath. She had no idea what he could possibly want, and she wasn't sure if she wanted to find out. She held her finger over the button that would disconnect their call, debating whether or not to hang up.

"Hello?"

"What do you want?" she blurted out.

"Relax, Counselor. I'm not calling to threaten you."

Rosalie moved her hand away from the phone and balled it into a fist beneath her desk. "Is this some kind of joke?"

"I'm afraid not." Emmett was quiet for a moment before continuing. "I'm going to appeal my conviction."

"That's … great?"

"It will be great when all is said and done. In the meantime, I want you to come and see me."

She sat up straight. "Excuse me?"

"I want you to come and see me," Emmett repeated. "I'm seeking exoneration, and I want your help getting it."

"Excuse me for being frank, but that's why you have an attorney, Mr. McCarty. My work on the case was done when the jury gave their verdict."

"You had me put away for a crime I didn't commit, Ms. Hale. With all due respect, I think that leaves you somewhat responsible for helping correct this matter."

"I presented evidence to a jury, and they formed a decision based on it. _They_ are the ones who convicted you. Perhaps they would be of more use in your quest for exoneration." Her words were heavy with sarcasm.

" _They_ can't do shit for me," he spat out. "You, on the other hand, can right a wrong and help me clear my name."

"I'm sorry, but the answer is no." Rosalie leaned forward, resting her elbows on the edge of her desk. "Now, I have work to do. I'd appreciate it if you'd refrain from calling here again."

"But-" She didn't give him a chance to answer. Instead, she slammed the phone down and disconnected the call.

"What the fuck," she mumbled, blowing out a loud breath and placing her head in her hands. This was absolutely insane. Emmett McCarty couldn't really think she'd consider helping him get exonerated.

Could he?

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> On a side note, I may have listened to the Creed song "My Own Prison" about 150 times while writing this.
> 
> ;)


	3. Chapter 3

_Click. Clack. Click. Clack._

The sound of Rosalie's heels echoed off the mayonnaise colored walls. She tucked her briefcase tighter to her side and took a deep breath. She had no idea what compelled her to make this journey, but she hoped she wouldn't regret it in the end.

"Can I help you?" The corrections officer looked at Rosalie over the top of her glasses. Her gaze was hard and her lips were pressed together in a thin line.

"I'm here to visit an inmate."

"You need to be more specific than that. What's his name?"

"Emmett McCarty."

"And who are you?"

"Rosalie Hale. I'm the Prosecuting Attorney for King County." She slid her badge across the countertop.

"I'm not interested in your credentials, ma'am, I just need to know if you're on the visitor list, which you are. Do you have official identification?" Rosalie pulled out her driver's license and handed it to the officer. "Very good. Is this your first time visiting here?"

"Yes."

"I need you to fill out a search permission form. And you're going to have to leave your bag with me. Anything that comes in here has to be in a clear plastic bag."

Rosalie nodded and got to work filling out the form. Fifteen minutes later she was led to the visiting area. The whole scene reminded her of something straight out of a movie, only it was far less glamorous. The room consisted of a long, thick glass window, divided into small stalls. Each stall had a single chair and a black phone hanging on the wall.

She followed the officer to a stall marked '29' and took a seat. Minutes later Emmett McCarty sat across the glass from her. His dark hair had gotten a tad shaggier since the trial, but his blue eyes had just as much life in them, despite his less-than-desirable situation. He picked up the phone on his side of the glass and watched as Rosalie did the same.

"You came," he said to her. She nodded in response. "What changed your mind?"

"I don't know," she answered. "Maybe I'm just curious as to why Royce King's client thinks he needs me to get him exonerated."

"Your opinion is far more influential than Royce's," Emmett answered.

"And what makes you think I want to – or will – use my opinion to your advantage?"

"I have evidence that proves my innocence, Ms. Hale."

Rosalie furrowed her brows. "Why wasn't this evidence presented in court?"

"It wasn't presented for a variety of reasons," he explained. "Once you review it – and investigate it – you'll understand more."

"You do realize the Court of Appeals makes a decision based on information from the original trial, don't you? New evidence or witnesses aren't taken into account."

"I know." Emmett cocked his head to the side and smiled. "They will, however, take into account a statement from the prosecuting attorney that the convicted party is in fact innocent."

"Let me get this straight. You want me to run around town investigating some secret evidence you kept hidden up your sleeve, then make a statement saying you were wrongly convicted?" Rosalie tipped her head back and laughed loudly. "Do you have any idea what that would do to my career? Or my reputation?"

"It can't be much worse than what you've done to my life by having me locked up for no reason."

Rosalie opened her mouth to reply, but closed it quickly. She hadn't come all the way there to waste a half hour arguing. "What – or where – is this evidence?"

Emmett sat up straighter. "Does this mean you'll look at it?"

"I'm not making any promises," she said. _What are you doing, Hale? This is a recipe for disaster._

"Well, should you choose to do the right thing, Edward Cullen at Eclipse has more information." A corrections officer approached Emmett and tapped his shoulder. "My thirty minutes is up."

"Let's say I take the bait, McCarty. What then?"

He shrugged. "Come back and see me." He hung the phone up and stood, taking in her expression before being led off. Rosalie remained seated, staring at the glass and trying to collect her thoughts.

 _Edward Cullen._ The name sounded familiar, but she couldn't place why.

Was she really about to run all over town to collect information on some guy she didn't know? Or rather, some _criminal_ she didn't know.

Yes.

Yes, she was.

**{-} P &P {-} **

Eclipse was a trendy bar nestled comfortably in the Capitol Hill neighborhood. Rosalie remembered going there a few times when she and Alice were in college, but she had never paid much attention to any of the staff that serviced the place.

"Is there a reason you wanted to come here?" Alice glanced at the diverse crowd that packed the inside of the building.

Rosalie shrugged. "Not really."

"You just thought a blast from the past was a good place to look for men?"

"I wasn't aware that we were trolling for men."

"Maybe you aren't, but I am. It's been months since my lady bits saw any action, and I fully intend on changing that tonight." Alice tugged at the bottom of her miniskirt and wiggled her eyebrows mischievously.

Rosalie nudged her friend in the ribs and winked. "Why don't you go scope out a table for us by the best looking group of guys you can find. I'm going to grab some drinks."

"Don't take too long!" Alice exclaimed, making a beeline for the back of the bar. Rosalie shook her head and began weaving her way through the crowd. By the time she reached the bar she had started to sweat.

"What can I get for you?" The bartender was short and slender, with brown hair that had been dip dyed turquoise on the ends, and piercings on each side of her lower lip. She wore a form fitting black tank top and both of her arms were covered in tattoos. She flashed Rosalie a smile and placed a small, square shaped napkin in front of her.

"I'm looking for Edward Cullen."

The woman's eyes narrowed. "He's upstairs."

"And how would I get there?" The look on the bartender's face told Rosalie she was Edward's girlfriend.

"The door is by the bathroom. I'll have him meet you there."

"For the record, this is purely business, not a booty call." Rosalie wasn't sure why she felt the need to justify her presence, but she did. The bartender visibly relaxed and picked up the phone at the end of the counter.

By the time she reached the restrooms, Edward was waiting for her. As soon as she laid eyes on him Rosalie knew why his name rang a bell. Carlisle Cullen was another well-known attorney in the area and Edward was the spitting image of him.

"Can I help you?" He raked a hand through his messy brown hair and fixed her with a stare.

"Emmett told me to come and see you. My name is Rosalie Hale."

Edward's eyes widened. "Oh, wow. I wasn't expecting you to show up." He eased the door behind him open and gestured to it. "My office is at the top of the stairs. First door on the left."

Apprehension burned in Rosalie's stomach as she ascended the stairs. The whole thing seemed fishy, and for a brief moment she wondered if this was the best choice.

"I'm sorry it's such a mess in here." Edward moved a stack of papers off of one of the chairs that sat in front of his desk. "I'm in the process of moving some of this stuff to storage, so it's been a bit hectic."

"No problem." Rosalie sat down and took in her surroundings. Several photos decorated the wall, including one of Edward and the bartender swinging a cute blonde haired boy in the air between them. "You have a beautiful family."

"Thanks," he said with a lopsided grin. "We just had those taken a few weeks back. Her name is Bella, by the way."

Not looking to make new friends, Rosalie decided to get right to the point. "How do you know Emmett?"

"We grew up together in Forks. He's more like a brother to me than a friend."

"I see." Her eyes scanned the room once more and settled on another picture. This one consisted of a young Edward and Emmett in football gear.

Edward learned back in his chair and folded his hands together behind his head. "What made you decide to help him?"

"I'm not helping him, per say," Rosalie said, looking back at Edward. "I'm a lawyer and we're a nosy breed. I want to see all this 'evidence' he speaks of."

Edward leaned forward and flipped on his computer monitor. Nine small boxes appeared on the screen, each containing a different view of the bar. "I have surveillance tape from the night of Demetri's beating that might be of interest to you."

"Interesting how?"

"You'll see." Edward punched some information in to the computer and the images on the screen changed. The top center box showed Demetri sitting at the bar talking to the blonde behind it. "Watch closely, and pay attention to the top three camera views."

Rosalie did as he asked, and watched the tape in silence. Demetri Volturi paid his tab and went out the back door of the bar, where Bella was waiting. He glanced over his shoulder before producing a wad of cash, which he handed to her. Bella counted the money out and stuffed it in her back pocket, then withdrew a Ziploc bag from the inside of her coat. Rosalie knew it contained drugs of some sort, and watched in shock as Demetri took it and kissed Bella's cheek. He then turned and headed back into the bar, exiting out the front door moments later. At the same time he exited, a tall blonde man at the end of the bar stood up, throwing down some cash and exiting the bar himself. As soon as he was outside, he pulled a stocking cap from his coat pocket and took off in the same direction as Demetri.

"Who is that?" Rosalie asked, pointing to the screen. Edward paused the tape and frowned.

"I'm not sure. I've only seen him around here a few times, and he always left immediately after Demetri."

"Was Demetri one of your regulars?"

Edward smirked. "It depends on how you look at it. Was he a regular in the bar? No. Was he a regular in the alleyway? Yes."

"And the alleyway activities are why Emmett didn't want this video used as evidence in court?"

Edward nodded. "He was protecting Bella."

"That's very generous of him."

"We're like a family, Ms. Hale. I'm sure you must have friends you would sacrifice something for."

"Touché, Mr. Cullen. However, all this shows me is that Emmett wasn't _in_ the bar that night. How do I know he wasn't waiting in a car down the block or something?"

Edward opened his desk drawer and pulled out a business card. "That's where Jasper Whitlock comes in."

Rosalie took the card from him and frowned. "The Cabaret? Isn't that a strip club?" Edward nodded. "You expect me to go to a strip club now?"

"Emmett said he _had_ evidence – not that the evidence was all in one place."

"This is ridiculous. I didn't sign up to go on a wild goose chase."

Edward simply shrugged. "You made the choice to come here and talk to me, Counselor. Now you get to make the choice to continue on or walk away."

Rosalie leaned back in her chair and sighed.

Continue on or walk away.

How hard of a decision could that be?


	4. Chapter 4

Monday morning came too fast. Rosalie needed focus on the depositions scattered across her desk, but she couldn't stop thinking about Emmett McCarty.

She didn't want to help him. She didn't want to lay her reputation and everything she had worked so hard for on the line. She didn't want to set foot in a strip club, even if it was for work-related reasons.

Edward's words from Saturday kept replaying in her head, however. _"We're like a family, Ms. Hale."_ Alice and Kate were the closest thing to family she had left. And if either of them were sent away for no reason, she'd want the person responsible to do whatever it took to help set them free.

That was where her mind was at when she picked up the phone and dialed Jasper Whitlock's number.

"This is Jasper."

She tried not to choke on her words. "Um, hi, Jasper, this is Rosalie Hale. I got your card from Edward Cullen at Eclipse."

"Well, well, well. I must admit, I'm shocked," the man laughed. "I didn't think the big, bad prosecutor would give my man the time of day."

"I live to surprise people, Mr. Whitlock. Now, is there something you need to tell me?"

"There's something I need to show you."

"Show me?"

"Yes, show you," Jasper said. "Are you available to come down to the club over lunch?"

Rosalie looked at the clock and then down at the stack of depositions. She needed to work over lunch if she was going to get everything done. However, she knew she wouldn't be able to focus on her work if she didn't find out what Jasper was talking about. "I can be there at one."

"That's perfect. I'll see you then."

Two hours later she found herself wandering into the darkened club. The smell of stale alcohol filled the air, and Rosalie's stomach churned.

"Rosalie Hale?" A voice called from behind the bar. She stepped forward and was greeted by a tall, attractive man.

"Jasper Whitlock?"

"Follow me," he commanded, stepping out from behind the bar and leading her behind the stage and to his office.

"Everyone wants to show me something in his or her office," she joked as she sat down. Jasper laughed and crossed his arms over his chest.

"I have more surveillance footage."

"Really? Of Demetri?"

He shook his head. "Of Emmett."

Rosalie arched an eyebrow. "From the club?"

Jasper nodded. "He was here on the eighteenth of August. From about six pm until we closed."

"And you have all of this on tape? With time stamps?"

"It's all recorded, yes."

"So why didn't you produce this for the defense?"

"I couldn't," Jasper explained. He leaned forward and lowered his voice to a whisper. "One of the Volturi's acquaintances paid me a visit after work one night."

"You were attacked?"

"Not attacked, just threatened. And paid a large sum of money to hand over the surveillance tapes."

"Wow," Rosalie breathed. "How do you have anything to show me then?"

"I make copies of everything I record," he explained. "You're the only person who knows this and I expect it to stay that way."

"I understand. Why didn't Emmett make anyone aware of this?"

"If they knew I told him, they'd kill me." Jasper reached under the computer keyboard and produced a DVD. "I offered to testify in his defense, but he told me not to. He said he'd rather get locked up than see anything bad happen to a friend."

Jasper's words tugged at Rosalie's heart. Prior to visiting Emmett in prison, the only thing she knew about him what that he was a violent man who had committed a despicable crime. Each new person she visited provided her with another piece to the Emmett McCarty puzzle, however, and she was starting to see that he was a loyal friend who was willing to make sacrifices for those he cared about.

"Can I take this with me?" she asked, holding up the DVD. Jasper nodded.

"I would prefer you watch it elsewhere. And please destroy it after you're done. I know that you know Emmett can't provide new evidence with an appeal, and I don't want to risk it getting into the wrong hands."

"Of course." Rosalie stood and held out her hand. Jasper followed suit and shook hers. "Thank you for this."

"Thank _you_ for having an open mind about Emmett. I know it's a big risk for you to take, but I hope once you see he's innocent you'll help exonerate him."

Rosalie wasn't sure how to respond to him. "An appeal like this goes to a separate court. There are no witnesses to cross-examine, no evidence to produce, and no jury to convince either way. It's up to the appellate judges to decide if errors were made during the initial trial."

"I understand that." Jasper tipped his head back and stared at the ceiling. "But, I also understand that your department could come forward and admit there was evidence withheld from the trial."

"My doing so would put you in the exact position Emmett had hoped to avoid placing you in. Not only that, but I didn't have knowledge of this evidence until after the jury reached a verdict."

"Nobody aside from you knows that though," he pointed out.

"A move like that would cost me my career. That's not something I'm willing to risk for someone I don't even know."

"You might not know Emmett now, but you will once you look everything over." Jasper stood and shoved his hands in his pockets. "I just hope you can see the good that myself and his other friends see in him."

Rosalie swallowed hard and looked at the DVD in her lap. Part of her wanted to give it back, walk out of the office and close the door she'd mistakenly opened. Another part of her – although small – wanted to find out if Emmett McCarty was a man worth saving. "I'll see myself out."

"Thank you again for stopping by," Jasper called after her. She gave him a small wave over her shoulder and headed for the door.

Once she was seated in her car, Rosalie dropped the DVD on the passenger seat and rested her forehead against the steering wheel. A million thoughts raced through her mind and hot tears threatened to escape from her eyes. She was losing her edge, and losing it fast. She'd never cried over a criminal before; especially not one that she had argued against.

When had she let her emotions start to overrule the logic in her mind?

When had she become so crazy?

**{-} P &P {-}**

"You're back."

"Why didn't you tell anyone about the surveillance tapes?" Rosalie knew the answer to her own question, but she wanted to hear it from him.

Emmett shrugged. "Bella and I go way back. I wasn't going to implicate her for anything. And I'm sure Jasper explained why I couldn't tell you about his involvement."

"So you weren't at Eclipse that night. I get that much. But how do you plan on showing me that you didn't attack Demetri later?"

"You saw the tapes. Where was I at one thirty that morning?"

"The Cabaret."

"And when did your witnesses see the attacker leaving Demetri's house?"

"One am."

"So it's safe to say that I wasn't the one who attacked him then, correct?"

Rose thought for a moment before responding. "What if the individual seen leaving his home wasn't his attacker? The police weren't notified until his mother went to visit him the following afternoon. How do I know you didn't go to his home after you left The Cabaret? They found the lug wrench in your apartment, Emmett, along with the drugs. How can you explain that?"

He steepled his fingers beneath his chin and leveled her with a stare. "I can't. But there is someone who can."

"Another 'inside source' of yours?"

"You could call her that, yes." As they sat in silence, Rosalie studied Emmett's facial features. Prior to this moment, she hadn't paid much attention to how attractive he was. Her eyes raked over the sharp lines of his jaw and the dimples in his cheeks before returning to the blue orbs that gazed out at her.

"Your eyes have gold flecks in them," she blurted out. A blush crept up her cheeks as soon as the words left her mouth. "I, uh, I mean…"

Emmett grinned. "I'm glad you noticed."

"They're so bright, it's hard not to notice," she said. "The flecks are bright, that is. Not your eyes themselves. Although they're bright too, and-" _Shut up, Rosalie. You're blathering like a fool._

"I get your point," Emmett chuckled. "Thank you for the compliment."

"You're welcome," Rosalie mumbled, looking down at her hands. "So, who is this woman?"

"Her name is Tanya Denali. Edward can put you in touch with her." Emmett glanced over his shoulder just as the correctional officer approached him. "Time's up."

"Let me guess – I should come back and see you again, right?"

Emmett nodded. He was about to hang up the phone, but stopped himself. "Oh, and Ms. Hale?" Rosalie looked at him through the thick glass.

"Yes?"

"You have beautiful eyes too."


	5. Chapter 5

The ferry to Bainbridge Island was surprisingly empty for a Saturday. Rosalie pulled her jacket tighter around herself. She didn't have to stand outside on the boat's deck, but she wanted it that way. The fresh air helped her clear her mind and prepare for another afternoon of investigative work.

Tanya Denali was a friend of both the Cullen and Volturi families. According to Edward, she and Emmett had dated for a brief period of time before deciding she was better suited for their friend Garrett. Everything was sunshine and roses until Garrett got caught up with a particularly bad crowd. In the end, Tanya wound up keeping the social circle, and Garrett had all but disappeared.

Doc's Marina Grill was within walking distance of the ferry, and the place where Tanya suggested they meet. Rosalie stopped outside of the restaurant to collect her thoughts.

"Rosie?" She looked up to find Alice standing before her.

"Ali! What are you doing here?"

"I should ask you the same thing." Her friend reached in her pocket and produced two movie tickets. "I'm meeting Angela for an afternoon matinee."

"All the way out here?"

Alice rolled her eyes. "You know Ang. She loves the Lynwood. They're playing some indie flick she's been waiting months to see. What are you doing?"

"I'm, um, meeting a friend for lunch," Rosalie lied. Even though it would delight Alice to know she'd been meeting with Emmett, Rosalie still hadn't told her roommate about it. She didn't want to become the target of gossip in their social circle, or listen to Alice toss out an "I told you so."

"Who do you know on Bainbridge?"

"Someone from work."

Alice smiled coyly. "A _man_ from work?"

"Sure, Ali, if that's what you'd like to think," Rosalie said, rolling her eyes. Her friend simply giggled and swatted her shoulder playfully.

"I'm just teasing. Don't be so serious!" Alice's phone began to ring. "That's probably Ang. I'll see you at home later?"

Rosalie nodded. "Enjoy your movie!"

"Thanks! Hello? Angela?" Her roommate walked away and Rosalie heaved a sigh of relief. She pulled open the doors to the restaurant and approached the hostess.

"Do you know if someone named Denali has arrived yet?"

The hostess scanned the paper in front of her. "For a party of two?"

"Yes."

"Follow me." She led Rosalie to the far back corner of the restaurant, where a stunningly attractive blonde was already seated. "Ms. Denali? Your friend has arrived."

"Thanks so much, Leah!" Tanya flashed the hostess a smile and stood up. "You must be Rosalie?"

"Yes, I am. And you must be Tanya?" The two women shook hands and took their seats.

"Thank you for coming over here to meet me," Tanya said. "I would have met you downtown, but I never know which Volturi I'll run into when I'm there."

"Don't they have a fairly prolific presence on Bainbridge too?"

"In the summer, yes. Most of them reside in Medina during the off season, however."

"That's good to know." The waiter appeared and took Rosalie's drink order.

"How did Em convince you to come and talk to me?" Tanya asked with a smile.

"Honestly, I'm still trying to figure that out myself," Rosalie answered. "It was never my intention to help him, but somehow here I am."

"You're doing the right thing." Tanya glanced out the window at the Sound. "Emmett is a good guy who got put in a bad situation."

"What kind of bad situation?"

"The Volturi family hates him," Tanya explained. "Well, they hate him _and_ his friends. Demetri was a straight laced, upstanding gentleman before he started hanging out with Jacob, Edward, and Jasper."

Rosalie shook her head. "I know who Jasper is, but I'm not familiar with Jacob."

"He owns a custom bike and tattoo shop a few hours west of here. He's Bella's supplier, if you get my drift."

"She must have an extensive client roster."

Tanya shook her head. "Not really. She only sold to Demetri for a long time. Then he hooked a few of his friends up with her. They're all wealthy private school pricks."

"I see." The two women gave the waiter their food order. "How does any of this have to do with Emmett? I wasn't aware he had connections with the Volturi."

"Emmett and Demetri were close friends at one point." Tanya sipped her wine and looked around nervously. "Actually, they were close friends up until the night that Demetri was attacked. When he came to in the hospital, everyone was already pointing fingers at Emmett. Demetri has hated him ever since."

"If they were such good friends, why would Emmett attack him in the first place?" Rosalie asked.

"Emmett _didn't_ attack him. Someone worked very hard to make it look like he did."

Rosalie stared at Tanya in confusion. "I'm not following here. Are you saying Emmett was framed?" Tanya nodded. "By Demetri?"

"Not Demetri himself, but someone close to him or his family."

"Why would someone do such a thing?"

Tanya shrugged. "Aro Volturi has been trying to keep his son away from that social circle since day one. Sure, Edward and Jasper are successful entrepreneurs, but their establishments aren't 'respectable' in Aro's eyes. Every time Demetri hangs out with them he winds up getting himself in trouble, which reflects poorly on the family, and ultimately impacts his father's political career."

"So you think Aro Volturi set all of this up? You think he wanted to get rid of his son in order to keep his political career flourishing?"

"I wouldn't put it past him. I've heard of people in his position doing far worse things to ensure their power remains."

Rosalie sat in silence, letting the information sink in. "This is a great theory you've concocted, but it still doesn't account for the drugs in Emmett's apartment. Or the lug wrench they found with Demetri's blood and Emmett's fingerprints on it."

Tanya looked her in the eye. "I'm almost positive the lug wrench is from my car."

"What?"

"Emmett was with me the day before the attack," Tanya explained. "My tire blew out and he helped me change and get it to a shop. When I picked it up the next day, the jack and everything was missing. I reported it to the owners of the shop, and they replaced the items, but nobody could figure out where the originals went."

"What mechanic would steal a jack and a lug wrench?"

"Garrett."

 _And the plot thickens._ "Your ex boyfriend?"

"He works in the shop I took the car to. Emmett was with me when I dropped the car off, and Garrett hates him. He's convinced I dumped him because of Em."

"I still don't understand how your lug wrench and his hatred for Emmett are correlated?"

Tanya leaned forward. "You saw the surveillance tapes from Eclipse, right?" Rosalie nodded. "The man that gets up and follows Demetri outside is Garrett."

"Why did Edward tell me he didn't recognize who it was?"

"Garrett and I broke up almost six years ago. He's changed a lot since then, and I'm the only one who's seen him intermittently. Emmett didn't even realize it was him in the shop until I said something later."

"So you think Garrett stole the lug wrench, knowing it had Emmett's fingerprints on it, and used it to beat Demetri? What would Aro stand to gain from framing Emmett?"

"I don't think Aro framed him. I think Aro gave the order to Garrett, and he capitalized on an opportunity that presented itself. I think he saw it as a form of revenge or some shit like that."

"What about the witnesses?"

Tanya shifted uncomfortably in her chair. "Aro has paid people to keep things quiet before. I wouldn't put it past him to have hand picked individuals to feed the police – and the jury - a bullshit story."

"Do you think Garrett planted the drugs too?" Rosalie asked.

"It wouldn't surprise me. He started working for Aro shortly before we ended things, so he'd definitely have access to it. And someone obviously went into Emmett's apartment to plant the weapon. They could have easily stashed the drugs at the same time."

"Don't you think a career criminal would do a better job of planning? Yes, Demetri has a brain injury, and due to memory loss he hasn't been able to identify his attacker independently. But what if he recovers and does remember someday? I mean, are these guys really dumb enough to take that big of a risk?"

Tanya reached in her purse and pulled out an electronic cigarette. She took a long drag and exhaled the water vapors before answering. "I don't think they expected Demetri to wake up."

**{-} P &P {-}**

"Peter?"

"Hi, Rosie! To what do I owe this call?"

Rosalie went into her bedroom and shut the door. "Do you know if the department still has the evidence from the McCarty case?"

"I can check the evidence room tomorrow, but I'm almost positive it's still there. Are you looking for a victory souvenir?"

"No, but I do have a favor to ask."

The officer chuckled. "Anything for my favorite prosecutor."

"I need you to pull the lug wrench and check it for a second set of fingerprints."

"You're not second-guessing all of the work we did, are you?"

 _Yes. I'm second-guessing everything about the fucking case._ "No, nothing like that. I have a hunch about something and want to see if I'm right."

"I love it when you go all CSI and shit on me. I'll see what I can find out. You want me to call you at your office Monday?"

She shook her head even though she knew he couldn't see her. "Call me on my cell. It's easier to reach me that way."

"Will do." Rosalie clicked off the phone and sank down onto her bed. Her conversation with Tanya had left her on pins and needles.

The more the she found out about Emmett's situation, the more worried she became that she had in fact helped to convict an innocent man.


	6. Chapter 6

"You'll never believe what I'm about to tell you, Rosie." Peter's voice contained a mixture of excitement and apprehension.

"Lay it on me."

"They're faint, but you were right; there's a second set of fingerprints on the lug wrench!"

Rosalie felt her pulse quicken. "Did you check them against the database?"

"You know it. They matched to some guy named Garrett Johnson. He's in his thirties, lives in Rainier Valley, and has a spotty criminal background. The guy works in a mechanic shop, so it could just be a total coincidence, but the prints are there none-the-less."

"Thank you so much, Peter. I owe you lunch next week!"

"I just might take you up on that, Rosie. Let me know if you need anything else.

Rosalie slipped her phone into her purse and grabbed her keys. She was almost to the doors of the office when a paralegal stopped her.

"Ms. Hale? The Cooke sentencing hearing has been rescheduled for two o'clock today."

Rosalie glanced at her watch. "That's three hours from now, Bree."

"I know, but Judge Molina wanted to speak with you and the defense before the hearing."

"See if James can attend in my place please. I have a pressing matter to take care of." Rosalie dashed out of the office before Bree had a chance to answer.

Twenty minutes of highway speeding later, Rosalie took a seat in a stall marked '15'. Up until then she dreaded the moment Emmett would appear across from her. Now she was impatiently awaiting it.

"Tell me everything you know about Garrett Johnson," she sputtered out as soon as he was seated and had picked up the phone.

"It's good to see you too, Counselor."

"Oh for fucks sakes, just call me Rosalie." She was speaking fast and small beads of sweat began to line her forehead. "Were you close to this guy?"

"Before he dated Tanya, yes. Our friendship ended as soon as he got the idea in his head that she was cheating on him with me."

"Did you know he was the one who attacked Demetri?"

Emmett shook his head. "Not originally. I mean, I wondered about it, but I didn't put the pieces together until shortly before my sentencing."

"Does Royce know about any of this?"

"All Royce knows is what was presented in court."

"I know you were protecting your friends, Emmett, but why? Why would you allow yourself to get put behind bars when all of the evidence that could have cleared your name was right there? You can't use any of it now! Everything you've showed me in the last three weeks is useless to me, to Royce, and to the courts!"

"I know that." He covered his face with his free hand and sighed. "Have you ever loved someone so much that you couldn't imagine your life without them?" Rosalie nodded. "That's how I feel about my friends, Rosalie. I owe so much to each of them and their families.

"My parents died in a car accident when I was ten. The Cullens adopted and raised me after that. Esme took care of me like I was her biological son. Sure, Edward and I got into trouble on occasion, but we always managed to find our way back to the right path. And that path made both Esme and Carlisle proud.

"I could never, _ever_ do something that would jeopardize Edward's business, or that would disappoint his parents – _our_ parents. If I had handed that tape over to Royce, everything would be over for him and Bella. She'd end up in jail, he'd lose the bar, and Carlisle and Esme would be broken hearted. _And_ Aro Volturi would know where his son gets his drugs from. He's not oblivious to the fact that he does them, but I wouldn't put it past him to target the person responsible for feeding Demetri's addiction.

"I may be behind bars now, but at least I know they're together, and safe. And I know that they'll be there waiting for me when I'm not behind anything anymore."

Rosalie swallowed the lump that had formed in her throat. She wanted to speak, but the words wouldn't come. The only things she knew about Emmett were the small pieces he'd allowed her to see, but the past few weeks left her feeling inexplicably connected to him. Any ill thoughts she had of him had disappeared, only to be replaced by the reality of the situation. Emmett wasn't a criminal. He wasn't violent or conniving. He was quite the opposite, in fact.

Emmett McCarty was a respectable man who had endured his share of hard times. He was a loyal friend and loving son, willing to give up his own freedom if that meant keeping his family safe and ensuring their happiness. He was smart, he was funny, and he was handsome.

But above all, Emmett McCarty was innocent.

And it was her responsibility to see him set free.

**{-} P &P {-}**

Emmett couldn't believe the sight before him.

Rosalie Hale was in tears, hand pressed against the glass that separated them, and forehead resting on the tabletop. Her sobs were silent, but shook her body.

"I should have known," she whispered. "I should have realized that things didn't quite add up. That Demetri's testimony was filled with holes and that the witnesses were lying through their teeth. I should have known all of this, Emmett."

"Shh," he said, pressing his palm against the glass in front of hers. "How could you have known? They're masters at what they did, and you're a lawyer, not a psychic."

"I have to fix this. It's probably too late, but I have to find some way to fix this."

"You don't have to do anything, Rosalie. Do you think I honestly expected you to get me exonerated? I know it's not up to you. I know the court won't look at anything even if we do give it to them now. I just wanted you to know that I'm not the bad guy. I'm just the guy who took the fall for him."

Rosalie looked up at him through bloodshot eyes. "Why would you care what I thought? I'm part of the reason you're in here. You should despise me, Emmett, not worry about my opinion."

"I don't despise you in the least," he said softly. "You captivated me from the moment I laid eyes on you."

She blinked several times. "What?"

"Your eyes give you away," he explained. "You may put up a front that's tough as nails, but your eyes tell a different story; one that I wanted to learn – that I _still_ want to learn. And they left me wanting to share my story with you."

A soft blush covered her cheeks. Rosalie looked down at the table again and tucked a few wayward strands of brown hair behind her ear. "You have a funny way of showing you're interested in someone, McCarty."

He chuckled. "You have no idea what men behind bars will do to express their affection."

"What do we do now? Has Royce filed for your appeal?"

Emmett nodded. "I don't think the judges will see anything this time around that the jury didn't catch the first time. It's worth the try, though."

"Did he give you any indication of how long it would be before the process started moving forward?"

"He said something about filing an opening brief in two months. Then there's responding briefs and something else. I think the whole thing could take up to a year."

Rosalie chewed on her bottom lip while she considered her options. "I'll try to help as best I can. I'll call Royce as soon as I leave here."

"You don't have to, really-"

"I _want_ to, Emmett." She fixed her chocolate colored eyes on him and sighed. "All my life I've strived for perfection; even when it meant doing horrible things, like helping lock away an innocent man. Well, guess what? I'm not perfect. Nobody is perfect, and this whole situation serves as proof of that.

"My mother walked out when I was thirteen. Luckily I had a loving grandmother to care for me, and a best friend who has always loved me no matter what. Despite that, I blamed myself for her departure. So, I threw myself into school, and vowed to be the best at whatever it was I chose to do, in hopes that someday she'd see or hear about me, and realize what she gave up on.

"It's been sixteen years since she left, Emmett. Sixteen years and I haven't received a single call or letter. For all I know she has seen me, but still doesn't want me. I've worked so hard to prove to myself that I'm good enough for her, but at what expense? At the end of the day I've probably ended up hurting ten times the number of people she has. I have to stop."

Emmett's lips pulled back in a small smile. He placed his hand flat on the glass once more, and Rosalie covered it with hers.

"Thank you," he whispered.

"No … thank _you_."


	7. Chapter 7

_Five months later…_

"Ms. Hale? The judges will see you."

Rosalie stood and took a deep breath. She'd tried every technique in the book to calm her frazzled nerves, but it was no use. Shaky legs carried her down the hall and into the courtroom.

Three judges sat at the front of the room, engrossed in the files they were reading. Rosalie knew those files all too well; she'd spent the past five months going over them again and again in hopes of finding a loophole. It turns out there wasn't one.

"Please approach the bench, Prosecutor," Judge Stanley said without looking up.

"Thank you, Your Honour," Rosalie said once she stood before them. The three judges trained their eyes on her.

"We understand you have something you'd like to say regarding the McCarty appeal?" Judge Stanley had clearly been appointed the spokesperson for the group.

"Yes, Your Honour. I have information that I believe will strengthen Mr. McCarty's case for exoneration."

"Ms. Hale, as you know there is no room for new evidence or testimonials in the appeals process."

"I understand that, Your Honour, and I can assure you I'm not here to present new evidence or introduce any new witnesses. I'm simply here to admit fault for my own irresponsible actions on the case."

Judge Stanley narrowed her eyes. "Continue."

"I withheld evidence during the trial, Your Honour." Rosalie pulled a stack of paper out of her briefcase.

"What kind of evidence?"

"There was a second set of fingerprints on the lug wrench. I neglected to make this information available to the defense or the jury. There were also several eyewitness accounts of McCarty at a different venue at the time of the attack. I also neglected to make this information available to the defense or the jury."

"And why did you wait until now to make this information known, Ms. Hale?" Judge Yorkie piped up.

"I was simply following along with appellate proceedings, Your Honour."

The judges looked at one another before Judge Stanley held her hand out. Rosalie handed her the stack of papers and took a step back.

"Thank you for bringing this to our attention. You are dismissed."

Rosalie took a deep breath and nodded, turning around and heading for the courtroom door. She'd done the right thing, as risky as it was, and it felt like a giant weight had been lifted from her shoulders.

She knew her days as Prosecutor Hale were over.

But at least Rosalie would be able to sleep at night.

**{-} P &P {-} **

**McCarty exonerated, Hale resigns as King County Prosecutor**

By Mike Newton – Wednesday, May 15, 2013

King County residents were shocked on Monday when Emmett McCarty was exonerated from charges of first-degree assault and possession of Marijuana with intent to distribute. His exoneration comes from a trio of appellate judges.

McCarty had served five months of his ten-year sentence when former King County Prosecuting Attorney Rosalie Hale came forward and admitted to withholding evidence during the trial. Appellate judges deemed Hale's actions "erroneous," and granted McCarty's appeal.

On Tuesday Hale formally resigned from her position. When asked about her future plans, the former attorney refused to comment.

…

"I must say, I'm proud of you, Rosie." Alice took a bite of her yogurt and slid the paper across the table to her friend. Rosalie rolled her eyes, but smiled.

"I'm proud of you too," Emmett murmured, sneaking up behind her and pressing his lips softly against her neck.

"It was the right thing to do. Besides, how the hell else was I supposed to get to know you?" Rosalie joked.

Emmett laughed and pulled out the chair next to her. "You mean you weren't enjoying our thirty-minute telephone sessions?"

"As much as I loved the electronic start of our relationship, I'm much more partial to the phase we've entered now."

"And what phase would that be, Counselor?" Emmett wiggled his brows mischievously.

"I haven't quite decided on a name for it yet."

He brushed her hair away from her face and cupped her cheek with his palm. "That's perfectly fine, Ms. Hale." His lips connected with hers, igniting a delicious feeling inside. "We've got all the time in the world."


	8. Chapter 8

_One year later…_

"Ouch!" Rosalie yelped.

"If you keep flinching like that this will look like shit." Jacob held the tattoo gun away from her skin, waiting for Rosalie to calm down. When she'd finally managed to compose herself, he lowered it to her hip and started again.

"Why didn't you tell me it would hurt so much?" Rosalie asked, glaring at Bella.

"If I had told you that, you would never have agreed to get it. And I think it's a pretty important step in your journey," Bella argued.

"Stop talking!" Jake grumbled, taking the tattoo gun away from her skin once more.

"Sorry!" Rosalie took a deep breath. "I'll stop now." She bit her lip and looked helplessly at her boyfriend, who reached out and grabbed her hand.

Twenty minutes later the tattoo was finished. "Try to keep the cellophane on it until tomorrow morning. I recommend using Aquaphor twice a day for three to five days. It'll help keep it looking good."

"Thank you," Rosalie said, paying the man and buttoning up her denim shorts. Emmett grabbed her hand and pulled him to her, enveloping her in one of his infamous hugs.

"You survived," he murmured in her ear.

"I did."

"They're addicting," Bella warned. "I bet you'll have one, if not two more by this time next year."

Rosalie shook her head. "No way! It's a miracle I did this, and it's so tiny!"

"Mark my words. You'll forget all about the pain in an hour."

Emmett wiggled his eyebrows mischievously. "Care to wager something on that, B?"

"On her forgetting the pain or on her getting more tattoos?"

"The latter option."

Bella grinned. "Twenty bucks and breakfast at Spot?"

"You've got yourself a deal." The two friends shook hands and burst out laughing. Jake watched on in amusement.

"Are you three coming out to my bonfire tonight?"

"You know it." Emmett gave him a fist bump and slid his arm around Bella's waist. "We should probably find the rest of our friends and get some grub before then."

"Thanks again Jake!" Rosalie said with a smile.

"No problem. Hopefully I'll see you in the shop soon."

"You will," Bella told him with a wink.

"Yeah, yeah, yeah," Rosalie muttered, shaking her head.

"Rosie!" Alice's voice carried across the street. Her friend stood arm-in-arm with Jasper, bouncing excitedly on the balls of her feet. "You have to see this antique shop we found! It's like Mecca for interior designers!"

Rosalie looked up at Emmett, who smiled down at her. She couldn't believe how far they'd all come, or how much a year had changed things.

Rosalie wanted – no, _needed_ – a break from law. She'd always loved the written word, and after resigning from her job decided to work part-time at a used book store downtown. After spending a few months surrounded by books, she decided it was time to write one of her own. _Confessions of a Courtroom Drama Queen_ was the first book in a fictional series about a Manhattan prosecuting attorney.

Emmett was inspired by his own experience, and began working as an advocate for other wrongly convicted inmates. So far he'd had a chance to speak to the state congress about the rights of inmates, and was hoping to do the same with the national one by the end of that year.

Bella decided to trade-in her less-than-legal side job for a hobby – painting. As it turned out, her talent with the brush surpassed her sales skills, and she had been commissioned by several businesses to create murals in their establishments.

Not long after Emmet's exoneration, the Seattle Police issued an arrest warrant for Garret Johnson. The next day they found his body in the Sound. He had a single bullet hole in his head, and his death was ruled a suicide. The community in and around Seattle didn't question this. The Cullen social circle had their suspicions, however.

Demetri Volturi regained his memory and realized he had made a false accusation. He apologized to Emmett, but the two didn't rekindle their friendship. Instead, Demetri went to a posh rehab facility in California, and none of his friends had seen him since.

"Ready to ride?" Emmett's warm breath cascaded across Rosalie's neck. He held open the passenger door to his Mustang and grinned.

"I'm as ready as I'll ever be."

Emmett owed his freedom to his friends – and Rosalie.

And Rosalie owed her love to prosecutions and pardons.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you for joinign me on this journey!
> 
> There's so much more I could tell about this group of people. Maybe in the distant future this will evolve into a longer story. No guarantees though. My plate is plenty full already. :)
> 
> xo


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